| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 2 servings |
Ingredients
- 4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
- Vegetable oil
- Kosher salt
- 2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
- 3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
- 2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch nutmeg
- 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven – there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.
- Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.
- Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 2 servings |
| Calories | 1509 |
| Total Fat | 90 g |
| Saturated Fat | 43 g |
| Carbohydrates | 109 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Protein | 64 g |
| Cholesterol | 216 mg |
| Sodium | 1846 mg |
Reviews
Not yet. Gruyere is $20 a pound or 9.95 for 8oz package at heb. Any substitutes?
Gruyère smells like stinky feet. I should’ve left it out.
This is a really good recipe. I’ve made this and the different kind cheeses are what makes it so good
Best Mac I’ve ever had and not super tough to make!
So delicious! We make this for every birthday and it’s amazing each time! It’s my favorite macaroni and cheese ever!
Brava, Ina.
Made it (doubled) to take to friends. We are all over-the-moon about it.
Made it (doubled) to take to friends. We are all over-the-moon about it.
I remade it with no added salt and half the blue cheese because it was way too salty. Amazing!
THIS IS SO GOOD. This is my favorite recipe. I totally recommend this!
This was so good. It takes a bit of time but it isn’t active time in the kitchen. Easy for both small and large groups.
This is one of my family’s favorite recipes! I usually steer away from recipes with too many ingredients as I like to streamline things…but this recipe is well worth the time it takes to make. Fabulous!